Airbus and Air Canada partnership rewarded by Air Transport World

Airbus and Air Canada have received the Eco-partnership award 2013 from the leading monthly aeronautical publication Air Transport World (ATW) for the first ever North American “Perfect Flight” that took place in June 2012.

The award ceremony will take place in September 2013, at ATW’s Annual Eco-Aviation Conference held in Washington D.C., USA.

On the 18th June 2012, Air Canada and Airbus together achieved an over 40 percent reduction in CO2 emissions using an A319 on a commercial flight from Toronto to Mexico. The flight brought together all best industry practices to demonstrate the huge potential benefits of the latest technology, modern Air Traffic Management and operations, weight saving fittings and sustainable aviation fuels.

Key to the success of this “Perfect Flight” was the collaboration and endorsement of all stakeholders, authorities and industry partners.

Airbus and Air Canada’s partnership went a further step forward in May of this year when they agreed with BioFuelNet Canada to assess Canadian solutions for the production of sustainable alternative jet fuels.

Teresa Ehman Director Environment Affairs Air Canada said: “all of us at Air Canada are thrilled with this award recognizing our joint ’Perfect Flight’ with Airbus, a tangible example of our airline’s commitment and responsibility to reducing our footprint. We subsequently operated a second bio-fuel flight together, an A330, flying members of Canada’s Olympic team to the London Games. Since 1990, Air Canada has become 33 per cent more fuel efficient and we are determined to continue increasing these gains through new technologies developed together with our industry partners, and the use of cutting-edge measures such as those deployed on these flights.”

“Environment criteria – like emissions and noise are competitive drivers for Airbus and we have filled the technology pipeline with the most fuel efficient and quietest aircraft in their sectors” said Andrea Debbane, Airbus’ Head of Environment Affairs. “We can reduce our environmental impact with technology but we have to work together as an industry to ensure the very highest environmental performance. Our ongoing partnership with Air Canada is a wonderful demonstration of how together we can do more and we are delighted that this has been recognised through the prestigious ATW Eco-partnership Award.”